New York State Blues Fest to flaunt state ties July 11 and 12 in Syracuse's Clinton Square

The New York State Blues Fest will present only bands with ties to New York at this year's free-admission event, July 11 and 12 in Clinton Square.

Fest executive director Bernie Clarke said Friday that performers will include John Mooney, Popa Chubby and Rory Block. Clarke said other acts for the fest's two stages will be announced later.

"We're booking only acts with ties to New York state. Born in New York state. Live in New York state," Clarke said.

Clarke said he was reluctant when fest board president David Katleski suggested the approach for this year's event. In the past, the event has featured national headliners such as Robert Cray, Taj Mahal, Buddy Guy and Tommy Castro. Last year, the Nighthawks and Jimmie Vaughan with Lou Ann Barton headlined.

He said there are plenty of worthy national acts with New York ties. "I looked at prospective bands, and the list kept getting longer and longer," he said. "New York isn't known for only one style of blues, like Chicago for example. The New York blues scene is varied."

For instance, singer-guitarist Mooney plays New Orleans style, singer-guitarist Block performs country blues and singer-guitarist Chubby fires off blues-rock. Rochester-based vocalist Joe Beard will team with New York City keyboard player Bruce Katz. "We can't do this without the dean of New York blues singers, Joe Beard," Clarke said.

Clarke said he'll present 13 national acts and three local acts on the two stages. In the past, the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que stage was filled mostly by Central New York bands. Clarke said there will be more solo acts booked than "five-, six-, or seven-piece bands."

He and Katleski hope to enlist Syracuse clubs to present Central New York bands both nights of the fest.

Clarke said the New York-only approach helped him to cut the fest's entertainment budget, but he would not reveal a figure. "We're operating under the assumption that we will not be able to raise the amount of money we had in the past," he said. Last year, the total operating budget was around $125,000, Clarke said.